Eviction of alleged squatters wreaks havoc on busiest highway

Villa Altagracia, Dominican Republic.- Evictions being executed early Friday 40 kilometers north of the capital on the Duarte highway sparked protests by the land’s alleged squatters, who say they’ve lived there for more than 30 years.

Locals of the La Batata sector torch tires and blocked the highway with trash, backing up north-south traffic for more than a mile and wreaking havoc on the Caribbean’s busiest highway.

Police from the local precinct are on the scene trying to clear the road and restore order since 4am, when the State Attorney’s order to evict occupants from lands allegedly owned by Luis Manuel Campillo.

Some of the occupants say However they have documents for the land issued by the Dominican Agrarian Institute (IAD i n 1993.

Quoted by listin.com.do, neighborhood activist Maria Rodriguez asks the authorities to halt the eviction, started by agents who surprised residents still asleep. "We thought they weren’t coming but they came today and are bulldozing homes and firing bullets."